


new updated and rewritten The Dark Librarian

by englishrose2011



Series: NEW UPDATED THE DARK LIBRARIAN [1]
Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV), The Flash (TV 2014), The Librarians (TV 2014)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Betrayal, Hurt/Comfort, Kidnapping, Leonard Snart Lives, M/M, Prison, Serial Killer, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-12
Updated: 2019-02-28
Packaged: 2019-10-08 13:41:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 13,780
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17387390
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/englishrose2011/pseuds/englishrose2011
Summary: I have rewritten the story and added new scenes which I feel expand the story and make the story better.A trip to Alexandra during the great fire had far reaching consequences for a newly returned from the dead Leonard Snart and Mick Rory.





	1. Leonard Snart

**Author's Note:**

> Notes:  
> Excalibur is the sword given to Arthur by the lady in the lake.  
> Cliburn is the sword Arthur pulled from the stone. But in the Librarian films/ series, it is Excalibur that is shown in the stone, so I am going to use that.  
> Fenix - Latin for Phoenix

The Waverider was running silent as it slipped through the time stream. The other Legends has gone to bed or were in a small group talking,  trying to come to terms with that has happened.

 

Leonard Snart who had given his life to defeat the Time Masters, had returned from the dead and not only, that he had killed them one by one, in retribution for the way that they had treated Mick after his death.

 

Leonard now had control over the Spear of Destiny and infused with the power of the Oculus  he  had brought them back only  after Mick had asked, but he had made sure that it was in their interest not to try and work against him.

  

Stein got the daughter he and his wife always wanted from an alternative timeline, Jax got this father back and Sara her sister.  Ray was convinced that it must have been the Oculus anomaly which had affected Len. Well, what ever allowed Haircut to sleep well at night. The truth Rip for all his expertise had missed Len’s extra curriculum activities which meant that he was never  caught. This side of Len had gone completely unrecorded.

 

Mick was sat on the bed in his room taking a  long pull on his bottle of beer, while Len had gone off to stash the Spear. 

 

He remembered when he had first found out about Len being a serial killer. They had both killed  in self-defense and in protection of each other, but this? That thought kept tumbling through his mind as he had sat in their small broken-down apartment after he had followed Len out one night, worried that he might have found someone else. He should have known better.

 

What he had found out was a total surprise, but he had told Len that he loved him and to come home safe. Now Len would be home soon, so what was he going to do?

 

He shook his head. What was he going to do? He could tell the police about Len, tell them his partner was a serial killer and see him on Death Row. But knowing some of the pigs Len would get a bullet in the head. He could see them now.

 

“Yeah we had to put him down, too dangerous, pulled a gun on us.”

 

Or he could take Len in and he would be put in some insane asylum, in a strait jacket, drugged up to the gills as that brilliant mind of his was turned to mush.

 

So, he had picked a third way, one which he liked. He could control Len, give him rules because he sure as hell wasn’t going to see him dead or rotting away.

 

It was then he was brought back to the present.

 

Looking up he saw Len stood just inside his room, no their room. He was leaning against the wall.

 

Len had come back to him, but his partner was stood almost hesitantly as if unsure of his welcome now that they were alone.

 

“Come here, Lenny,” his voice might have been  gruff  but  when he had reached out for Len, his he partner came to him, his touch was gentle, and Len had come willing, as he had led him to their bedroom. Talk could come later, and they would talk, but for now he had to make sure Len knew that he was loved and missed, god how he had missed him.

 

It was intense. He knew what Len’s addiction was and he used all the things he had ever heard or read as he had delayed Len’s climax. Rewarding him with touches and caresses, nips and words as he made him relive the killing of each of the Legends, each emotion, rather than the action itself.  Giving Len a high that had nearly matched that of the kill until Len was shaking under his hands, coming apart, and the final release had crashed over him like a wave of intense pleasure which had left Len weak, gasping and clinging to him.

 

Later, as Len slept in his arms, he had no illusions. He was a pyromaniac, an arsonist for hire,  a killer, and he was the most stable one of the pair of them. But somehow, he had  always known that he could make it work even if that meant going back to a shrink  again when they landed in Central. He would. He wasn’t going to let Len down


	2. Waverider

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mick finds himself having to look after his partner after Len is struck down after visiting Alexandria .

 

Alexandria Egypt 270 AD

 

The Waverider landed, and the crew stepped out. Mick threw an arm round his partner and gave him a one-armed hug before releasing him, as he said, “You give the best presents Len.”

In front of him on the hill top dominating the city was the legendary library of Alexandria. Already the first signs of smoke began to show over the pristine white marble building soon flames lit up the night sky.

 

0-0-0-0

 

Alexandria was on fire. The Library, the seat of all learning was burning,  the sky was thick with flames and smoke as within it 400.000 scrolls and the culmination of all knowledge was burning to ash.

 

Librarians and scribes were seen fleeing the library trying to carry their precious cargo to safety as they struggled to avoid the invading army.  

 

But even as it burned its Daughter library in the temple of Serapeum was fighting for its life. The warrior priestess, a middle-aged woman in white robes splattered with blood, smeared with black soot fought one of the invaders.

 

Already the floor was littered with the bodies of the invaders, but they both knew that she would not leave the temple alive.  The man was an experienced solider and his skill was greater than hers. Unlike the other men he had not under estimated her, he knew about the warrior priestess.

 

Suddenly it happened too quickly for her to comprehend, she slipped on the blood of one of the dead men. It made her stagger and she was too late to block his sword thrust. A white-hot pain tore through her body as her knees buckled and she slumped to the ground her sword fell from fingers that could no longer grip.

 

The soldier stepped forward “die well”  he swung the blow that would cleave  her head from her shoulders. But it never landed. He gave a grunt of pain as he was pulled backwards, blood sprayed from his mouth as he was pushed to the floor.

 

Behind him stood one of the scribes, a with a hang dog face and receding hair. The sword hanging loosely in his hand. He quickly went to her side and was trying to pull her to her feet, when there was pounding feet and more soldiers came running into the large anti room.  In them the scribe and priestess saw their death.

 

It was then the room exploded into a white and ice blue light that seemed to freeze everyone in their place. From that light formed a phoenix. It reached out to them with its brilliant wings. They felt the touch of the feathers on their flesh then cried out as white and ice blue burned a tattoo up their arms.

 

Then the light was gone and the scribe and the priestess stood there.  Slowly  the priestess straightened up, a hand going to the bloody tear in her dress. Her mouth dropping as she turned unbelieving eyes to the scribe. The wound had vanished her skin smooth and unblemished.

 

Looking across at the soldiers they saw that each of the men were frozen in place. The light had gone from their eyes and the Priestess knew without being told that their life force had been used to save her.

 

As the two of them moved to leave the library the phoenix suddenly took flight. Passing through them they both shuddered as it launched itself across the city towards the hills that surrounded the city.

 

0-0-0-0

 

Len was just entering the Waverider when he was hit in the back by a white light. Throwing his  head shoulders and arms backward the white and ice blue light erupted from his mouth shot from his eyes, as his body collapsed. Mick grabbed his partner and dragged him aboard the Waverider yelling at Rip to get the fuck out of there.

 

Using his weight he pinned his Len to the floor as the ship blasted off and into the air and made the jump into the time stream. All the time Len was screaming, his voice muffled by Mick’s jacket then, with one final scream of pure agony,  his body went limp.

 

 Carefully Mick eased up from him. When Len opened his eyes the blue light that had flared from them was gone. He was breathing hard as if he had just run a marathon.  Reaching down Mick pulled Len to his fee, keeping a tight grip on him until he was sure his partner had regained his balance. Seeing the slight nod of the head he released him knowing the Len would not want to show any weakness.

 

Rip  said stiffly “Mr. Snart, I suggest you have Gideon check you over. You can’t survive the Oculus without there being some sort of price to pay.”

 

Len ignored him and walked out of the bridge. Once out of sight he slumped against the wall then reached out a hand to Mick.

 

“I’ve got you Boss.” Mick soothed

 

It was then that Len let go as he slumped forward Mick caught him and swept him up into a fireman’s lift and carried him towards their room. It wouldn’t be as good as medical but Gideon could do a basic scan and depending what she said he would manhandle Len to medical if needed.

 

0-0-0-0

 

Once back in their room and the door locked he helped his partner onto the side of the bed. Kneeling he removed Len’s combat boots and then his jacket all the time keeping up a steady stream of talk. Waiting got Len to talk to him.

 

“It felt as if I was being dragged out of the ship as if someone,”…..  he paused and looked up at him.  “Or something….  had punched right through my chest and was pulling me back and then it was suddenly gone.”

 

“The Oculus?” he asked.

 

Len shook his head slowly, “No this was something else. Something really powerful. We need to get back to Central City now! “

 

Mick agreed with his partner. The sooner they got off this rust bucket the best. “But I still need Gideon to do a scan of you,” he caught the look Len gave him and added “She can do it here rather than the medical bay.”

 

Then raising his voice “Gideon, I need you to scan Len for me.”

 

The prime voice of the AI came over “It would be better for Mr. Snart to come to…” She didn’t get a chance to finish as he cut her off.

 

“Just do the scan and I’ll take it from here.”

 

He listened with one ear as the AI went into diagnostic mode as he picked up Rattigan, his therapy rat out of its cage, gave him a few strokes, and then placed him into Len’s hands.

 

“I am off to get something to eat. You stay here with Rattigan and get to know him, and ……” he paused and met Len’s eyes levelly “No pizza for Rattigan. You hear me Lenny? I don’t care if it chews off a finger, no Pizza, and….” He broke off  and shook his head as Len started to pet the rat, talking to it in a hushed voice, then added  “you mean this one.”

 

Mick couldn’t stop the smile that lit up his face as he turned his back on Len giving him the finger and walked out into the corridor of the Waverider. He heard the door close behind him.

 

Sure, enough the other Legends looked up as he entered the galley and began to pull pots and pans down from the cupboards. The prefabricated meals that Gideon system made were crap sure, they had the vitamins and nutrients that you needed but they tasted like cardboard.  Len needed real food to put some meat on his bones, it wasn’t like he had a lot to spare to start with.

 

“You got something to say, Haircut?” he said as he saw the other man come up behind him.  He had seen the other Legends leave, so they were leaving it up to Ray to do the hard work.

 

He shifted his weight from one foot to the other like a kid in front of a cop.

 

“Well?” he asked as he dropped the steaks onto the hot sizzling pan.

 

“Is Len OK? I mean when he …… err, just now.”

 

“Yeah seems like it. No idea what cause it.”

 

Ray gave almost a little skip and a hop, “I ran through the sensory logs and well Gideon has no idea what it was, all she can say is that it was a complete unrecorded surge of power. But it had a physical presence the way  it went through Len it was as if it was trying to drag him back.”  He paused it must be connected to the Oculus power.”

 

“You keep looking.” It was not a request it was more of a demand. But Haircut, as usual, took it good naturedly.

 

Flipping the food onto the plates he headed out of the galley.

 

0-0-0-0

 

Once Len had eaten he helped him into bed. It was as if all the energy had been drained from his partner.

 

Taking a beer from the cold box  he sat petting Rattigan thoughtfully. Once they got back to Central City he was going to  book an appointment with Alyson Carter. As shrinks go she had a handle on his pyromania without being a total asshole about it. May he could get Len in for a few sessions.  But then again, the last time a shrink had sat down with Len it hadn’t ended too good. Something about a full body  cast.

 

Looking towards the bed he saw that Len was curled up on himself something he hadn’t done in a long time.

 

It made him think back to when they had first got out of Juvie, Len first and then him six months later. The first thing he had done was to go looking for him.

 

While he would be the first one to admit it, he was no planner. He was more impulsive, what he needed was Leonard Snart and if he was honest with himself it wasn’t just for the planning.

 

Len was a genius at planning. Each plan had a back up and he worked on a theory of make the plan, execute the plan, expect the plan to go off the rails, and throw away the plan and usually it worked.

 

But first they had to get Len’s scum ball of a father out of the way. Len had managed it by getting him locked out of state for a long haul. Len had been able to stretch his wings and there was no turning back.

 

Now Mick liked women, he liked their soft curves and sweet bodies but what really got him was Len. He had seen the way his partner  had looked at him in the early days. That flustered way Len had  when he had taken off his shirt, and okay sue him, he flexed his muscle just to see the affect it had on him.

 

But nothing was easy and it had taken a lot of careful work on his behalf to get Len to a safe place that he would act on his feelings. Because that pig of a father had beaten Len senseless the first time he had found out that Len was gay. What was it Len had said that fucker had said?  yeah that was it, beat him straight?  So, Len had been scared that he would do the same to him if he caught him looking to hard or too long.

 

Now Len would call him his angel.  So he had worked that angle and sure enough he had coaxed him to share his bed careful not to make any moves that would scare him. Letting Len get used to being close to him then gently he had pulled him closer, nothing more that hold him lightly so that he could pull away if he wanted too always making sure to be fully clothes. Then he had left his shirt off and pulled Len against him always giving his partner an  exit. He had seen what had happened when Len felt trapped. The first time Len had  turned over in his sleep and cuddled up against him Mick had felt his heart soar.

 

Then it had been a matter of taking small baby steps with him because  Len seemed to think that sex was something that happened to someone else and thank you very, much he would prefer a cuddle, a massage or a back rub.  So, Mick always approached sex with Len carefully, making sure it was something he wanted, and that Len wasn’t just doing it to please him.

 

Len was asleep so anything more would have to wait until the morning. Mick wrapped himself around his partner moving slowly and surely until he had him in his arms pressing a soft kiss to the back of his neck.

 

But sleep was slow coming, Now he had Len back he wasn’t going to lose him.  His first worry was the that the  Legends might try to rewrite history once they had dropped them off on Earth 2018  to prevent Lens resurrection. He finally nudged Len in the ribs.

 

“Len, come on Boss.”

 

“Whaaaaat the hell… Mick,” Len sounded tired, he rubbed his face to try and wake up, “this better be good.” He drawled.

 

“What’s to stop them writing you out of history once we get off at Central City.”

 

“Oh nothing, but….” Len hauled himself up so that he rested against the headboard.  “Okay Mick. Time is like a river, its fluid and can be changed. But Spearmint, acts like a dam. It causes the rivers of time to take a new direction. But because of Spearmints power the dam can’t be removed. They become a fixed point in history.

 

So as much as Hunter and Sara might want to write me out of history, they can’t act against me. She might try something once we get back to Central but that would mean getting Team Flash to believe her. Stein, Jax have too must invested in the new time line to risk changing it again.

 

Mick watched as Len cocked his head to one side and then reached out and with his finger’s tips trailed them down his chest, before hooking them into his pants and tugged him closer.

 

“Are you sure you want this, Lenny?” Micks could hear his voice breaking slightly as Len’s hand caressed him through the material. Long slender fingers that could pick a lock or finesse a security system bringing him pleasure. But even as he enjoyed himself, Mick kept his attention on Len, making sure that he not only gave pleasure but accepted it. Until finally both sated they slept curled round each other .


	3. Kidnapped

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Len faces kidnap and interrogation in an attempt by a Hero Team to get the Spear back.

 

Four  weeks later

 

Central City

 

The hood was roughly pulled off Len. He shook his head gaving his wrists an experimental tug as he looked at the people that were surrounding him.

 

His accent was heavy with a Central City drawl as he sneered “Robin Hood and his Merry Men and Maid Marion, does your mother know you’re out trick and treating?”

 

The back handed blow rocked his head back. He straightened back up in the chair and brought his bound hands up, he wiped them across his face, looking at the smear of blood across his glove.

 

He turned his attention back to the man in the center of the group that circled him. He recognized him straight away as the vigilante called the Arrow.

 

The Arrow stepped forward, “You stole that Spear of Destiny, the Legends want it back and you’re going to tell us where it is, Snart.”

 

Len looked down at his hands as he tried the restraints again. He sounded almost bored as he said with an infuriating smirk,  “|Not going to happen, Maid Marion……… so sad.”

 

Then he gave a grunt of pain as an arrow was pulled out of a quiver and  stabbed  down into his thigh. His breath caught in the back of his throat as he rode it out, holding back the cry of pain,  not prepared to give them the satisfactory.

 

The Arrow snapped at her, “Back off Speedy.”

 

“It’s the only thing this kind of animal knows.” She said her loathing and disgust for him all too plain.

 

Len  chuckled  “Chill out Speedy. Where do you hero types get your names from? The Flash sounds like a pervert, the Green Arrows sounds like a delivery firm, and you sound like a cartoon character.”

 

“and this from Captain Cold?” the woman spat at him with a sneer.

 

“Never named myself, that was down to Team Flash and …. .”

 

The Arrow cut across him and he moved to loom over him, “Where is the spear, Snart?”

 

“Can’t remember.”  

 

The Vigilante pushed the arrow slowly deeper into the wound and Len struggled to fight against the pain.

 

“The Spear?” The Arrow said, levelly, “Tell us now and save yourself a lot of pain.”

 

Len’s breath caught but he had had worse.  “Spearmint’s gone. You’ll never find it.”

 

“Spearmint,” the vigilantes exchanged looks. The Arrow shook his head, “You will tell us Snart, I’ve broken tougher men than you when I’ve had too.”  He lashed out back handing him across the face. Len turned back slowly and spat blood onto the floor.

 

“Kill me and Star City will burn starting with you Oliver Queen.” His laugh was chilling, “You thought I didn’t know who you and they are. You’ll  see them all  burn.” He hissed, “Each and everyone of them.”  

 

“Speedy, walk the perimeter.”

 

When she opened her mouth to protest, the Arrow added “Just do it.”

 

The Arrow and his remaining team closed in round Len.

As she closed the door  behind her, she heard the thud of fists on flesh.

0-0-0-0

 

Safehouse

 

Mick considered this safehouse the best one they had. It was the nearest thing to a home that him and  Snart siblings  had ever had. None of the other Rogues had ever got to visit and it contained the few personal possessions that the brother and sister owned.

 

Now Mick had Len home he had stabilized him to what passed for normal. Perhaps arrange a few playdates with the Flash, he allowed himself a grin. Len would enjoy that and it would be fun to see what he came up with.

 

Mick glanced at his watch. Where the hell was Len! He had gone out to  pick up a pizza  and he  still hadn’t come back. As the time ticked by he began to get more worried.

 

0-0-0-0

 

Finally, he couldn’t wait any longer and took to the streets himself and began to search the city staring with all Lens and his favorite places. He didn’t think  that Len had  stopped for any optional curriculum activity today. He had been in a good mood and there was none of the usual indicators.

So, were the hell was Len?

 

Finally, he directed his feet toward Star Lab. The Flash had been working on information that Len gave him about serial killers. They had turned out twice in the last four weeks to help put down some bad bad guys that the Flash had been struggling with. So with that good will banked he expected some help from them.

 

It actually went better than he had through. He didn’t need any threats, once he told them what had happened the Flash was out on the streets in seconds , lightening up the night as he crisscrossed the City. At the same time  Cisco started checking the camera feed from every CCTV he could find, while Caitlin ran checks on the local hospitals, morgues, and police lock ups, even A.R.G.U.S. But no sign of Leonard Snart.

 

Cisco’s fingers flew over the keyboard. Now he had had his ups and downs with Snart. But since he was trying to date Lisa, Leonard’s kid sister, he was trying to get on older brothers’ good side. Since he liked his limbs unfrozen and in one piece. And Snart was a hero, now right?

 

Finally, Cisco called Mick over, “I took a look at the route he would have take to Big Belly Pizza and man you should try something heathier.” He trailed off “Okay, I managed to get an indirect image of him from the ATM bank on the corner and he was heading in the right direction.  But I should have been able to have picked him up on the traffic camera on 8th and Main, but…” He brought up a map, colored markers appearing on them. “I am running the feeds for all the alleyways and streets  that he would have past. Some are indirect ones from private security systems, but from what I have seen Cold never went down them. He appears to have not deviated from his route.”

 

“What about that?” Mick, said.

 

“What?”

 

“There’s a camera there.” Mick stabbed a finger at the screen, “Len was looking at the security of one of the buildings and told me about it.”

 

“Why would they…  ?” Cisco started to say, but Mick cut him off.

 

“That building is an over spill for the Museum of Fine Art. They keep it real low key. Its where they do a lot of the restoration work.” He paused, “Fuck it Cisco if you don’t believe me, believe the fact that Len spent four weeks on recon for that place.”

 

Muttering Cisco started to hack into the system before leaning back in his chair. His eyes never left the screen. “Damn it, they have the system locked down.”

 

“So, you can’t get in?”

 

Cisco looked away from the screen to the big man stood looming over him. “Just means, Rory it’s going to be harder.”

 

Finally, Cisco let out a whoop, “I am in….” his fingers clicked on the keys…. Then….”no… no NO!”

 

“What’s wrong?” Barry said coming back after changing out of his Flash costume. When Caitlin opened her mouth, he said. “I am sure Len told Mick who I was.”

 

Mick allowed himself his first smile since Len went missing. “Nope, he didn’t you just outed yourself Allen.”

 

Barry muttered under his breath, “But you’re a Legend so you’re a good guy, right?”

 

“Keep thinking that Flash.” Mick said.

 

Barry shook his head as if he was trying to get his head round it. “Okay, so what is wrong , Cisco?” Barry asked.

 

“There is a five-minute break in the feed to that camera, let me show you.”  He worked for  moment then started to talk them through.

 

“Okay, we have a clear view of the street. We have a person on this side of the street but I can’t make them out clearly.”

 

“What about that camera,”  Mick said moving forward to tap the screen.

 

“No way they have a camera?” Cisco said and then saw  Mick raise an eyebrow, with a slight tilt to the head.

 

“Snart, told you….right” Cisco moved onto his second screen, a few minutes later he had hacked into the system. “Right, not a good picture but…” he paused as they saw the outline of the person go past.

 

Mick leaned back from the screen “that’s Len.”

 

“Ooooo  Kay..” Cisco said drawing out the word, he minimized that screen, and then went to the Big Belly Pizza security camera, “Snart never got there…. he vanished.”  He sat back in his chair, then with a sudden though leaned forward over his keyboard and began to type like fury.

 

Different feeds came up and then minimized until finally he sat back again.

“Two vehicles were in that area during the time we are looking at. Thank god for late night villain munchies, it cuts the field down. Okay, right, a white Ford transit and a  delivery truck both in the area.”

 

“Delivery truck,” Mick said firmly.


	4. Prison

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Len is in Prison on the Island of Lian Yu, but he has faith that Mick will find him.

0-0-0

Six weeks later they were no nearer to finding the missing thief. Even though they had run down every clue they could find and as each day passed Mick was getting more and more worried that they wouldn’t find his partner alive.

 

Meanwhile…

 

The  Prison on the Island of Lian Yu …. Private black site prison of the Arrow.

The prison was a hell hole. It was the secondary site from the main Lian Yu Prison and the prisoners lived in filthy rat-infested cells blocks only being taken out for back braking work in the swamps, the food was vile and sickness was rife.

 

Len Snart knew the prison break was over the moment that the white search light  hit him and he heard the guards yelling at him. He threw up his hands in a half crouch,  one hand trying to shield his eyes from the burning light.

 

He never saw the rifle butt that came at his head until the last moment. The butt smashed into his forearm, he gave a cry of pain as it broke. His eyesight greyed and then snapped back as another blow from the rifle between his shoulders sent him crashing down to his knees.  Then a kick sent him sprawling on to the ground.

 

The Chief Warden walked through the circle of guards and looked down at him, “Snart,” he said the name with deep loathing, “you are never going to escape from here,” then gloatingly he added, “No one is looking for you, even that dumb shit partner of yours  was smart enough to sell you out rather than get stuck with a psycho.”

 

Len snarled at him “Fuck you, Mick would never turn on me.”

 

As one of the guards went to aim a kick at him, the Warden threw up a hand to stop him as he laughed “If he didn’t, how did they know where to find you?”  He paused, then smiled, “Show him the errors of his way boys,” Turning on his heels he walked away then all Len could down be curl in on himself on the ground to try and protect his head from the heavy beating of feet and night sticks.

 

His last conscious through was that Mick would come, his angel would never betray him. Mick had chosen him and only him as being worthy  and then they would all perish in a firestorm of flames and retribution.

 

0-0-0

 

At the same time in Central City

Mick was worried sick about his partner. Len had sacrificed himself to defeat the Time Masters dying in his place. Then the slippery son of bitch had returned after making some sort of deal with a speedster he called the Angel of Death only he had had to remain hidden while he synchronized with the timeline on the Waverider. During that time Len had watched and his anger had grown.

 

Now Mick was the first to admit that he had allowed the other Legends to treat him like shit. As if he was nothing more than a drunken dumb mindless thug. But you try losing your partner of 25 years and see how you get by.

 

Ray had said that he would be his partner but had soon left him behind when Nate had joined the team. If he hadn’t been for Rattigan his pet rat, the therapy animal that Len had always told him he needed, he didn’t know what he would had done. But what had sickened and angered him was that the hero squad had done nothing to go back in time and save Len.

 

When Hunter had been killed they brought him back, the same with Sara but Len? …. Fuck them! All they said that Len had turned out good in the end, a hero…. What the fuck did they know? Len had always been perfect in his eyes.

 

Well scratch that, mostly,  once you got out of the way the small issue of him being a  card-carrying serial killer, and possibly not the most mentally stable kid on the block. But when you love someone you can…. and fuck yes, he did love him,  you got  over their little eccentricities.

So, where the hell was he?

 

0-0-0

 

Finally, Mick could no longer sit around and had taken to the street again, even if it was just to get rid of the itch to see something burn.

 

“Well, kid?” Mick said as he holstered his heat gun admiring the flames licking up the side of the broken-down warehouse, that was scheduled for demolition. When he heard the rush of air that heralded the arrival of the Flash.

 

Turning to the young hero, “Any news about Len?”

 

“We will find him Mick,” Barry said, “The fact we haven’t found a body means that he is still alive. If someone had killed him they would have wanted us to know.” He paused not sure what else to say, “I best be off.” He  then hesitated. Pulling himself up to his full height, “We will find him,” he repeated with determination and then was gone in a flash of lightening.

 

Mick knew that he was holding on by the skin of his teeth. If Len was dead he would see the City burn along with the people that had killed him.

 

He thrust his hand in his pocket and frowned, when he pulled his hand out instead of a lighter his fingers were wrapped around a stiff rectangle of card. He was about to throw it away when he paused.

 

“What the fuck?” In his hand was a Central City Library Card. Nothing unusual in that except he sure as hell had never joined any library. Whoever had planted the card on him had to have had fast hands because he never saw them or felt the plant.

 

He thought of the Flash, but he dismissed it almost straight away. That wasn’t the kid’s style to play jokes when Len was still missing. 

 

Mick was thoughtful, his fingers running along the card. Fuck it, why not. Mind made up he made his way to the library. He pushed the door open and automatically scoped out the CCTV cameras, keeping out of direct line of them.

 

He noticed the number on his card, was lit up by the side of a door, one of several each with a card number next to it.  Pushing the door open he stepped carefully in and it was as if the whole world tilted on its axis.

 

0-0-0

 

The Prison on the Island of Lian Yu

The cane beat across Len’s back as the prison overseer counted out the punishment  for trying to escape.

 

Len’s legs buckled and he pulled down hard on his broken forearm. The scream he tried to bite back was torn out of him and he blacked out.

 

Len was cut down and dragged into the box. The box was too small for a man to lay down in and too low for a man to stand up in. On the floor was one bucket for waste and a plastic bottle of water and nothing more.  He was dropped down and the door locked behind him.

 

Slowly his eyes opened, the only light came from a crack under the door. Already the metal roof of the box was starting to heat up and by the mid-day he knew that he would be boiling. He reached out his good hand and snagged the bottle of water that the guard had left near him. It was not nearly enough but it would keep him alive. He curled up cradling his injured arm against his chest, and closing his eyes. His mind fixing on only one thing his angel would come, Mick had always come for him, and he would come for him again.

 

His was pulled out of his dreams by the pain and the heat as the sun rose higher in the sky, He took another drink and another before putting the cap on the bottle. Curling in on himself again Len tried to block out the pain and raging thirst by concentrating  on Mick, His Mick.

 

Mick, his angel who saw he was a serial killer who hunted his own kind, who killed his own kind and loved him anyway. Who cared enough to take it in his stride and made him rules to live by.

 

Pizza, that’s what Mick called his killing, just because that had been his excuse to Lisa when Mick had been recovering from his burns and in psychotherapy.  He said he was going to get pizza.

 

Micks rules, No pizza when they battled the Flash, played supervillain against his hero.

 

No Pizza for Team Flash, since they had helped him when Lisa had been kidnapped by their bastard of a father, and the Flash had taken him back to the Cortex when he had put a shard of ice through his father’s putrid heart.

 

Rather than hand him over to the police when his reaction to finally killing his father had been extrema enough for the Flash and his team to think that he had suffered a break down. Mick had understood. He had brought him the rope with which to complete his sacrifice of his father’s body. Then Mick had added the flames needed to finish the ritual reducing his father’s body to ash. He alone had understood that the perfection of the sacrifice had overwhelmed him.

 

No Pizza for Team Waverider well that was a bit redundant as he had already killed them all, made them see it coming, made sure they all knew why he had done it. Punishment for the way they had treated Mick as nothing more than a drunken half-witted thug, belittling him at every opportunity. Not seeing how special he was.

 

 He had seen the way they treated his partner, and at that time he had been unable to act himself because he wasn’t in time synch with the Waverider yet.

 

During that time he  had lived in fear that he would lose Mick to his partners dark moods. So he had made them all see  their own death coming, and then made sure that they knew it was only on the insistence of Mick Rory that he had used the Spear of Destiny to bring them back from the dead.

 

As he was thrown in the hole on his first day that prick of a warden had said, that Mick had turned him over to the Arrow and his cronies, and he was the reason he had been hauled off to this hell hole. But he knew the man lied.  Mick would never betray him, never, never…….that word had become his mantra and he clung to it.


	5. The Library

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mick meets Judson and Charlene and learns about the library.

Central City Library

Mick looked round him, “What the fuck?” he breathed. Instead of a room it opened into a large area with two impressive desks and a large planning table. Looking up he saw steps leading up to a gallery of book shelves.

It was then he heard a polite cough. Turning he saw a man and woman in the doorway. 

The man was in his sixties to seventies, had receding hair and a hang dog face, and was wearing a suit. The woman was a dour looking, in a cardigan, holding an automatic in her hand pointed straight at him interestingly she looked like she could use it.

“Mr. Rory, so pleased you could join us. You found the card I see,” it was the man who spoke. “My name is Judson, I am a librarian and this is Charlene my guardian.” 

“Never knew being a librarian was that dangerous,” Mick said, “Do people get so pissed off when you fine them that you have to carry a gun?” 

“Very good Mr. Rory, as a Librarian we do have our moments” Judson drawled with a ghost of a smile then his face became serious, “It will help your partner if you hear us out.” 

“You know where Len is…” he started forward only to pull up when the gun came up aimed straight at this face. 

“All in good time,” the woman, Charlene said, her voice was cool and refined Mick pushed his temper down and looked round the room and past the man and woman to what looked like a long corridor.

“What kind of library is this because it sure as hell is not the one I just left?”

“First things first, if you will come with us Mr. Rory.” Judson said.

0-0-0

Mick fell into step with them as they walked through one of the largest places he had ever seen and one of the weirdest libraries. Len, he knew, would get a blast out of it.

It was a strange collection not just books but artifacts as well. He had just walked past a large sword embedded in a rock when he was sure he saw something move out of the corner of his eye. He just managed to duck out of the way in time as the sword scythed towards his head. 

.   
“Excalibur, No,” Judson ordered, as he spun round faster than a man his age should be able to move in time to witness the attack. 

The blade moved in the air in what looked like a lethal dance but kept its distance. 

“My apologies Mr. Rory, Excalibur has been rather restless since Flynn has been away and he has been looking for a new sparring partner and with you being a new… err well … um...

“Spit it out, Judson,” Mick demanded.

Judson gave a soft sigh, then to the sword, “you can’t play with Mr. Rory yet until he is officially a Guardian and Mr. Snart is back with us as and instated as a Librarian. 

“Len, a Librarian?” Mick gave a soft whistle it wasn’t that Len wasn’t smart enough he was a genius when it came to planning heists, security systems and he was always had his head in his art magazines and technical journals. But a Librarian… no way. But then these two didn’t exactly fit the bill, and who hell had a magic sword. It was then he heard a fluttering and it was a flying book coming between the stacks, was leading a whole flock of them. 

“Nothing to be concerned about just the Sociology books migrating south. Now where was I?” Judson asked.

Mick shook his head. He was right; Len was going to love this place. “So, Len’s going to be a Librarian.” 

He noticed the way Charlene looked fondly pissed at Judson.

“We have rather got ahead of ourselves, Judson said as he opened the door into a cozy office and waved him to take a seat.

Judson continued, “This Library Mr. Rory, was the daughter Library of the Library of Alexandria in Egypt, which was situated in the temple of Serapeum, during the attack and…”

“The fire burned the Library down losing the knowledge of the ages. What was it? 40,000 to 400,000 scrolls?” seeing the looking he grinned “I know a good fire and that one was outstanding.”   
“You sound as you where there Mr. Rory?” Judson’s lips twitched into a smile “But of course the Waverider and Captain Hunter….hum…”

“Len took me there as a present. He always gives the best ones.” Mick smirked. 

“Of course, Mr. Rory and as you said it was outstanding”

“Mick call me Mick, Mr. Rory was my old man.” He said, then paused before adding, “Why do I get the feeling that you and the lady where there?”

Judson exchanged a look with the woman and shrugged but he looked impressed. “Yes, Mick we were there. I was a scribe at the Daughter Library and Charlene was a Priestess. The Library was not just a place of knowledge it was a living force and that force saved us when we faced our deaths during the invasion.”

Mick’s mild whirled “That was 1745 years go and somehow I don’t think you had a time machine.” Seeing the look, he added “we’re talking 27O AD, Aurelian’s invasion, right.” 

Charlene raised an eyebrow, “What makes you think it wasn’t Caesar.”

“No, they would not have burned it again if he had done a good enough job the first time,” Mick mused.

Charlene exchanged a look with her Librarian seeing his nod. Everyone they had spoken to about Mick Rory had said that he was the dumb muscle to Snart’s genius but that has been all wrong. They knew that now. 

“When the daughter library was attacked we were both killed protecting it and its knowledge. It was only then we found that the library was not just books, but the home of the Fenix, the Phoenix. It entered our bodies and allowed us to live, but we are not immortal. We can die but we do age very slowly.” 

She paused “no skepticism Mick.” 

Mick shrugged “I’ve seen a lot of things on the ship and with the Meta’s at Central, so why not? But that doesn’t explain why you want me and Len.” 

Judson looked thoughtful. “When we were brought back we felt the bond, it was stretched out away from us like a ribbon of white light, and we knew without knowing how that I was not the only Librarian. 

The Fenix suddenly scream as the ribbon was stretched until it was severed.”

Mick nodded in sudden understanding, “When we did the jump Len was in agony. It was as if something was being torn out of him. I thought it was because of the Oculus power when he had been handling Spearmint.” 

Seeing the look on their faces he gave another shrug “That’s Len’s name for the Spear of Destiny. I thought then that some of the Oculus power clung to him and helped him when he used it. That must have got mixed in with your Fenix.” 

Judson sounded shocked “He calls it Spearmint.” 

Mick couldn’t help but give a chuckle. “Yeah and pets it like it was a cat.” 

Charlene rallied, “All that said and done. The power he absorbed would have acted as a flare for the Fenix and it bonded with its power. 

 

When your ship jumped back into the time stream it severed it. But some threads of it must have remained because as soon as you came back into this timeline the bond snapped back into place and it locked onto your Mr. Snart. 

Mick reached into his pocket and pulled out the library card turning it over in his hand as Charlene explained. 

“It was the Library that placed the card in your pocket. It was only this morning that we understood what it was doing, you see, the library through the Fenix is a living entity. 

Our days in the field are long over and although we have the other Librarians and their Guardians, they are of the light. There are times when action is needed that only the Dark Librarian can take which is the difference between life and death. It is time to hand over the mantel to a new Dark Librarian and Guardian.”

“Yeah, well that might be but Len is missing. Can your Fenix find him?”

“We have already located him and we have put together a team to regain him.” 

“Where is he? and what team?” Mick growled taking a step forward pulling up as Charlene brought the gun up as a reminder. 

She spoke levelly “If we have an agreement, then you will consider the appointment when we have regained Mr. Snart?”  
It would be easy for Mick to just say whatever they wanted to hear. But instead he said, “That will depend on Len but we won’t turn our backs on it without thinking it through.” 

“Then we have a deal Mick.” Judson said, then added “Regardless of what you said, we would still have rescued Mr. Snart, please understand that we would not have held his freedom as ransom.” 

Charlene waved Mick to follow her and he stepped back into the library, and he just managed to stop his mouth dropping open as he saw what was waiting him near a large double door.


	6. The Rescue and recovery

The Prison on the Island of Lian Yu

Len could hear the screaming and shouting then explosions. The door to the box was pulled off and stood there, back lit by the flames, was his angel, in his hand was a sword which pulsed with fire. 

“Mick…” Len croaked his voice rough and scratchy.

He reached out with his good hand and then Mick was pulling him up a strong arm wrapped round his waist holding him close. 

“Mick,” he tried to cry out as he saw the guard closing in on them, gun raised, But Mick just threw the sword in the air instead of falling it spun, deflecting the bullets as the guard fired at them. Then in the same heart beat it launched an attack at the man. A severed head rolled across the beaten earth to be stopped by Mick’s foot. 

“Time to leave, Lenny,” 

“What……………. That?”

“Excalibur’s got a mind of its own, Boss, and it’s protective.” Mick grinned. His partner was back by his side. It didn’t matter for the minute that he was hurt, and there was time for that later, now they just had to get back to the door.

“A a f….ffffriend for……. Spearmint?” Len croaked out, wishing he could reach a hand out and touch it, something drew him to it. 

“Only you, Boss,” Mick said affectionately, “ Yeah, I am sure he will like it.” 

The fight out of the prison compound, was a mass of explosions and flames painting the night sky red and creatures out of a nightmare. A huge eight-foot, snow white, Yeti tore the head off one of the guards in a plume of blood, the flash of the spinning sword, a lizard the size of a house breathing white hot flames back handed a jeep with a sweep of its clawed paw. It was almost too much for him to take in, then an explosion sent them staggering and his broken arm connected against something hard and unyielding. White hot pain and then nothing. 

The Library

Charlene met Mick the minute he walked through the door, Len cradled over his shoulder in his arms. 

“This way.” She directed him, as Judson took charge of the rescue team.  
They walked through a maze of passageways to what appeared to be a row of bedrooms leading off the main passageway. There was a bed in the center of the room. She quickly tugged the mattress off it just leaving wooden boards. Into them were carved elaborate signs and devices.  
“Put him down here.”

“We need to get Len to a doctor,” Mick started to say, “I know a few that….”

Judson cut Mick off in mid-sentence as he came through the door. “If you can get the Caduceus for me, Charlene,” then he added for Micks benefit. “It is the healing staff of Hermes, the library will heal its own.” 

While she was away Judson laid a medical bag down by the side of the bed. Checking Len’s vitals before he used shears to cut through the thin filthy rags he was wearing, until he laid naked on the boards. 

The older woman returned with the staff in her hand. Seeing the look of doubt on Mick’s face said, “The staff will not harm him. It will heal old and new injuries but the scars though will remain as they are part of him.”

From the bag Judson took a pot which he handed to Charlene. Opening it she dug a white cream out and began to mark Len’s body from elbow to wrist onto his broken arm then along his fingers and repeated it with his other arm painting them with intricate designs. Then across his ribs down to his stomach and lower more designs, continued down his thighs, legs and over his feet. Before returning to complete the smaller designs round his throat then up over his jaw and cheeks to his forehead and round his head smearing across the hair that has started to grow through his usual close-cropped hair.   
Judson upended a box of white powder and walking round the bed marked out a boarder. The woman placed the staff upright at the top of the bed into a slot, so that its shadow was cast over Len from head to feet. She then began to chant her hands moving over Len without touching him in an intricate pattern. The patterns of white cream began to glow with an electric blue color. His body jolted and his eyes flew open but he was unable to move and didn’t seem to focus or see Mick. Even as his partner called his name, Mick stepped forward Charlene caught his arm. 

“There is nothing here that will hurt him” Charlene said. It was then Len began to writhe as smoke began to pour from the staff and roll down the bed covering Len spilling off it to pool on the floor but never crossing the white salt boarder. 

Len arched the smoke curling round him, forcing its way into his mouth His feet drumming on the bed then as quickly as it started his body sank loose and limp back onto the bed. 

Mick had to stop himself from grabbing hold of Len to try and help him but Charlene’s touch kept him grounded. “Magic,” he guessed

“Very old magic,” Judson said.

“How long will he be like this?” Mick moved closer to the bed and reached a hand out only to have Charlene tug on him again.

“No,” …… She said warning him and then added, “It will last for as long as it needs to heal him but if you break the circle of the powder you will endanger him.”   
Mick was thoughtful. These people had helped him rescue Len from a living hell and were helping him heal it was more than he could ever have imaged when he had come to the library. But he was aware there was always a price and just because they hadn’t made any demands yet didn’t mean they wouldn’t. But he could worry about that later when Len was recovered. 

As if reading his mind Judson said, “I suggest we continue this discussion when Mr. Snart is ready.” 

3 hours later

Judson entered the room carrying a battered duffle bag which Mick recognized as Len’s old go bag from one of the safe houses. How the hell? 

As if reading his mind Judson smiled “The Fenix brought it here.”

Before he could ask how the Fenix had found the safe house, Judson was putting it on the table just as Charlene came in with a tray. On it was a pottery dish and jar. 

She explained. “The healing is exhausting. Mr. Snart will be running a high fever as the toxin in his body is burned out and his wounds are healed. You must make sure that when he wakes up that he drinks the infused mead. But he will be in pain but that will fade. The herbs will see to that.”

She paused “Mick, he will be alright. We will leave you now, it is best that Mr. Snart sees only you when he wakes. You will find clothes, a razor and hair clippers in the duffle.” 

Charlene and Judson withdrew leaving the would-be Librarian and Guardian alone together.

Once the door had closed, Charlene turned to her Librarian. “Well do you think that they will accept the offer when we present it to them? The temptation to steal from the library is going to be great. They are both career criminals.” Seeing his look, she added, “I am just playing devil’s advocate here.” 

“There are layers to Mr. Snart and Mr. Rory, which I think is going to be interesting to uncover. I believe that if they give their word they will stick to it. We can offer them the thrills of the heist, the rush they crave, and the chance to pit themselves against the most difficult of security systems in the name of the library. By saving Mr. Snart we are showing our good intent. I just hope that is enough.”

0-0-0  
Mick heard gasping and wrenching and was on his feet as Len struggled to breath. The mist poured from his mouth was black as sin as soon as it hit the white powder it ignited into a flash of light, bright enough for Mick to have to throw up and arm to shield his eyes. Seeing the boundary was gone he was immediately by Len’s side a big hand holding him steady, “Easy boss, you’re going to be okay, I need you to just breath for me.” 

“M … mick,” he began to cough. 

He let Len roll onto his side as he continued to cough. Mick quickly poured a dish of mead, supporting his partner and helping him to drink. Len’s skin was icy cold and he was shivering. 

“M…. Mick.” There was a plaintive cry to Len’s voice that punched every protective button Mick had. With more gentleness than many would give him credit for, he carefully peeled Len’s hands off him only long enough to climb onto the bed. He pulled Len in close to him tucking him under his chin as Len wrapped his fingers into Mick’s shirt again. 

“I am right here Boss, I am not going anywhere. You’re safe now.” 

0-0-0

Len woke with a cry. His joints burned, in his ear he could hear Mick’s gruff voice his angel trying to reassure him. A cup was brought to his lips and he was coaxed to drink. The liquid was cool and honeyed and seemed to quench the burning. Time seemed to stand still as pain knifed through his body and he had to press his face in against Mick’s chest to stop himself from screaming. But all through it his Mick was there with cool compresses and steady hands. 

Over the following hours, Mick woke him up and got him to drink the mead and eat some of the tasty morsels that he later found Charlene and Judson has brought in for him along with blankets and pillows, so that he could rest more comfortably. 

0-0-0

Finally, when Len was sleeping a deep sound sleep, Mick was able to slip out of the bed. Pulled open the duffle bag, removing a pair of grey sweats with Metropolitan Public Library running down the leg of the pants and across the chest. He laid them on the chair next to the bed before getting back in and pulling Len close again, before his partner registered his absence and began to get agitated again. 

0-0-0

Eventually, Len managed to keep his eyes open without the exhaustion dragging him back down. Mick helped him into the bathroom supporting him as he relived himself and washed away the sweat and sickness. 

His legs were giving out by the time Mick got him dressed, seated him on the bed and pushed a sandwich in his hand, he felt too tired to eat but once he took a bite he couldn’t stop. 

Mick went back to the bag and came back with a pair of clippers in his hands. He didn’t pull away as his angel clipped away the long hair that had grown during his imprisonment. With each clump of hair that fell on the floor the tension began to ease from his body. Mick had remembered the story he had told him. 

How his father had beaten him down when he had closely cropped his hair. He had ended up in hospital for that show of independence and had kept doing it. Cutting his hair being the only thing he could own, his own person act of defiance.

Once the last strand of hair hit the floor he had finished eating. It was then Mick had shaved him and by then he was fighting to keep his eyes open and soon he was asleep again resting in Mick’ s powerful arms 

0-0-0

The next morning 

The Librarian and Guardian knew better than to just enter the room without announcing themselves. Judson knocked on the door as Charlene entered with the breakfast tray which she put on the table. 

Len Snart was not only awake he was sat in the armchair with Mick looming behind him. The big man held the heat gun resting at port against his shoulder. Instantly the older man and woman knew that it was now a totally different game since Snart was now back in play and they would have to deal with him. 

Judson addressed him, “We’re pleased to see your recovering from your ordeal Mr. Snart. But I would suggest that you rest up for the next couple of days otherwise you will over extend yourself. You need time for your energy to return fully.”

“Mick told me that I have you both to thank for my rescue.” Len said in what they would later recognize as a Central City slum drawl made worse by his exhaustion. “So, I have to ask….” He paused, his breath catching, and he began to cough. Immediately Mick handed him a drink.

Leonard Snart took a drink and then another until the he could speak again. “ I have to ask why you rescued me, and what you both want. No one goes to all that trouble, without wanting something it’s basic human nature. 

We aren’t heroes or…” 

“Or Legends,” Judson put in, “instead we offer you the chance to be a Dark Librarian and Guardian. As such you will be returning to the library artifacts that have been stolen and which would cause untold of damage if they could remain in private hands.”

“We’re thieves, what’s to stop us from stealing from the Library and selling them on the black market?”

“Mr. Snart, we are well aware of the fact you betrayed the Flash at Ferris Air and the reason why. As for him believing you killed that man because he owed you money, speaks of his naivety,” Judson said. 

“The truth is that we can offer you both a chance to steal the most priceless artefacts from the most difficult security systems in the world; you have already undertaken not to kill in return for a deal with the Flash.”

Snart raised a hand, “No, not quite right. We reserve the right to defend ourselves.”

“My correction Mr. Snart, but what we can offer you both is the ultimate challenge. We are asking you to put your skills to a better use. Unlike the Legends and the Flash, we are not asking you to change who you are, we will allow you to do your own planning, you may use whatever artifact you wish from the library and recruit your own crews. But the artefact must be brought here for storage, anything else you can keep. After all we don’t expect you to break into a candy store and steal only one gumball.” 

Len tilted his head slightly, as he acknowledged his own words parroted back to him. “How many librarians are there?” 

“Librarians of the Dark, Mr. Snart, you are looking at them. Other Librarians of the light, we have a Senior Librarian Flynn Carson, since then we have added three others. Each of them was invited to an initial interview for Librarian when Flynn was accepted. But for their own reasons never attended the interview. So, we decided to extend the invitation again after Flynn had to recruit them for a mission when former candidates were being assassinated. The three are Jacob Stone, Cassandra Cillian and Ezekiel Jones, their Guardian Colonel Eve Baird a former NATO agent.”

“Then why do you need us?” Len drawled.

“Because it is time for us to retire from the Dark and the other librarians are good, but they have a certain moral code which prevents them from taking the course of action needed for some of the artifacts.”

“Ezekiel Jones is a thief,” Len reminded him. 

“But Jones is not a killer, Mr. Snart, and that unfortunately is what is needed at this time. And by the time he gets over his reluctance he would be dead, and the artifact lost.” 

“Very cold of you, Mr. Judson.” 

“Very realistic of me. Mr. Snart.” Judson said then added “ Whereas you,” Judson fixed Len with a look, “have a certain flexibility in your moral compass that will allow you to act when they would hesitant. The world that we inhabit as a Librarian is dangerous and just being a Librarian of the Light does not guarantee success. We will give you time to think it over. If you say no, you are free to leave the library if you say yes, a new chapter in your life will be opening up one which I am sure that you will not regret.”

0-0-0  
The door closed behind the older man and woman, and only then did Mick lower his heat gun. 

“Well, what do you think Boss?”

“Show me a bit more of this library. When you came for me, I thought I saw….” 

“Yeah, you did.”

Len raised an eyebrow at him, “a flying sword, an abominable snowman and a dragon.” 

Mick grinned broadly, “Boss, you are going to love this place.” 

Len got up and swayed. Mick was immediately there a big hand cupped his elbow. His gut feeling was to pull away, if it was anyone else he would have broken their hand for touching him But this was Mick, his angel and he allowed the big man to steady him knowing that it would not be a weakness. 

0-0-0-0-0

Later, from the gallery, Judson watched the two men moving into the library.

“Do you think they will commit?” Charlene asked. 

Judson didn’t turn around he just continued to watch them. “I believe that they will fulfil their destiny and take over from us. Mr. Snart and Mr. Rory have the potential to be among the best.” 

“Mr. Snart is a cold-blooded ruthless killer and if it wasn’t for his love and devotion to his sister I would think he was a…..” she broke off and leaned a little further over the rail, “tell me that’s not Snart petting Excalibur.” 

Her answer was an amused chuckle from her partner.


	7. The Reckoning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The truth is about to be revealed.

Five Days later

The Prison on the Island of Lian Yu

The shadow form detached its self from the gloom and moved up smoothly behind the prison Warden. The first thing he knew of was when a hand wrapped round his mouth and he was pulled backward. 

Len’s father had many violent and destructive faults, including physically abusing his children. But the one lesion that Len had learned well was to never cause pain when he killed. Make it fast and as painless as possible. 

He hissed into the man’s ear, making sure he knew exactly who was going to kill him before sliding the knife in between his ribs into his heart. Later he sat back on his heels looking at the carefully wrapped corpse, only to feel a hand on his shoulder, as Mick grounded him. He didn’t resist when Mick drew him to his feet and pulled him against him and away from the body. Only then Mick raised the heat gun, and pulled the trigger turning the body in to ashes. By the time the guards responded to the fire, the two of them had stepped back through the door of the library and vanished. 

0-0-0 

Mick could almost see the energy that was running through his partner, the minute he was in the bedroom, Mick was pushed roughly against the wall with a loud thud. Len’s arms went around his neck pulling his head down into an earth-shattering kiss as he wrapped his legs round Micks hips.

Using, this strength Mick spun them round so Len hit the wall pushing in on him. He rolled his hips so that he ground against his partner, getting the sweet sounds from him. A bite to his lip, a hand with blunt nails scoring down the back of his neck. Mick took these love tokens from his partner and upped the ante until he had Len loudly moaning and writhing against him. 

Wrapping his arms round him he hefted Len up higher and carried him back to the bed before throwing him down where he leaned back on his elbow and looked up at him with a smile that was pure sin. 

Laughing Mick was all over him the springs on the old bed creaking and groaning. 

Walking past the bedroom, Charlene shook her head not able to hold back a smile as Judson winced as the bed collapsed with a loud bang, followed by laughing. 

0-0-0

Charlene looked up as Mick and Len entered her office. She put her pen down and leaned back in her chair, “Have you decided to accept the position of Librarian and Guardian of the Library? I can understand any reluctance you might have in joining the library. Our lives have been dedicated to the Fenix before our deaths. You must make the decision to join with a clear heart. The bonding ceremony is in three months’ time during the Fenix Blood which is the longest total lunar eclipse of the moon which takes part on the 28th November. You have up until then.”

“So, we become immortal,” Len said levelly.”

“In a way. You will age very slowly but you can still die but when you injured your wounds will healer quickly. It was quickly found out that loneliness is the worse enemy of an immortal life. So, the power of immortality is passed to your sister and if she marries her husband. But if you die then that is lost to your sister and through her to her husband. If her husband divorces her, then his immortality is again forfeited. “ 

She turned her attention to Mick, “a Guardian does not usually outlive their Librarian.”

“I wasn’t planning too,” Mick said gruffly a wealth of emotion and promise in those few words.

“Same here,” Len drawled “one goes we both go.”

“This time” Mick said pointedly.

Charlene nodded “as I was saying the Guardians die protecting their Librarian. The library is more important than anyone of us, the library must continue.

If you agree to these terms she passed a faded old book to Len. “Then you will learn the creed from here and take the vow at the ceremony. I will not press you now for an answer.”

Charlene paused, picked up her pen, Gentlemen,” and got back to her work.

Normally being dismissed like this would have pissed them off but Charlene had style. 

0-0-0

One week later

The home of Barry Allen

Barry came awake with a start and sat up in bed to see Leonard Snart sat in the chair opposite his bed, legs crossed, hands resting in the lap, the cold gun resting on his knee. 

“Thank God you’re okay we were so worried. When you just vanished and….” Barry trailed off when he saw the puzzled look that flickered on Snart’s face. Suddenly with a sickening though Barry knew there was something very wrong. “What happened?” 

“You didn’t know?” Len sound puzzled. 

“Of course not I’ve been going around all your haunts, I think I’ve checked every safe house at least four times and I’ve been through the family compounds just in case.”

“You really care, Scarlet.” Len drawled, his head tilting slightly to one side thoughtfully. 

Barry couldn’t help but smile, “Of course, so what happened?”

“I was being held on the Island of Lian Yu. If it wasn’t for Mick I would still be rotting there.” 

“Bastard.” Barry snarled, and then added quickly “Not you. The Arrow. That’s his private dumping ground for prisoners that he wants to keep under the radar. I told him to stay out of Central City and close that facility down. Felicity told me it had been done. She lied.” He paused then added “So what are you going to do Len……. And how can I help.” 

“It won’t be legal.”

“Fuck legal” Barry said.

“Language, Junior,” Len drawled, that kid he mused was priceless. 

0-0-0

One Month Later

The Hub at Star Labs

Felicity Smoak was stood in the hub, asking Team Flash for help, “Oliver and Sara are missing. It’s as if they have vanished into thin air, you have to help us.”

She paused looking round the faces of Team Flash, Cisco the usual chatterbox, was looking at this desk and not meeting her eye, Caitlin’s mouth was a tight line and she was gripping her pen tightly. 

“I don’t understand, didn’t you hear me, Oliver and Sara are missing Her father and the rest of Team Arrow are keeping the lid on Star City for the moment, but once they know the Arrow is missing, it’s going to be all out war.” 

Barry came in from the pipeline, “Let’s get this right Felicity, the Arrow a serial killing vigilante is missing? 

“Barry, where is this coming from,” Felicity sounded shocked, as she added, “you know that Sara and Oliver are the good guys, here.” 

Barry huffed, “You know we learned after Ferris Air that it was wrong to hold people without a trail. Why didn’t Oliver learn the same lesson.”

“But he closed the prison…..” Felicity protested.

“No Felicity, he closed the main prison, but kept the black op site open, and turned it into a hell hole. As for Sara, we are talking about a professional assassin. Somehow assassin makes it sound more respectable when we are talking about a stone-cold killer who killed people for money, pure and simple. A woman who could slit someone’s throat for a payday.” 

Barry paused, “I know my hands are not clean. People have died but I sure as hell learned my lesson. …………….Felicity. But you don’t want to hear that, you want to know where Oliver and Sara are……. They’re in the pipeline. No trial no day in court. No exercise just artificial light living in a small cell.” He breathed hard taking a steadying breath, “That’s where we put killers isn’t it. “

“I need to see Oliver. This is stupid Barry” Felicity started forward only for him to block her.

His voice was cold, “No Felicity. No family visits allowed. No contact with the outside world remember, that’s the rules that Oliver had at his prison.”

“Please, Barry, what’s wrong with you.”

“Leonard Snart.” Barry said levelly.

“I don’t understand.” Felicity looked round her at Team Flash and saw the stern faces.

“Len gave his life to save the world, did you know that? Through more luck than design he made his way back. Mick was left to the tender mercies of the Legends his crew mates, who treated him like dirt and didn’t seem to care he was the muscle they could rely on to do their dirty work. If Len hadn’t come back he could have killed himself it was that bad. And Felicity, Sara was the Captain. It was her responsibility to look after Mick and she didn’t bother. So, Len and Mick left the Wave rider and came back to Central City. Only Sara couldn’t leave them alone.”

Lightening was playing round Barry as the speed force responded to his anger as he continued. “These two sterling examples of good citizenship had Len kidnapped and transported to Oliver’s private prison. He was missing for three months and all that time, Team Flash have been looking for him. You even offered to help me Felicity that was sooooo good of you. When all along he was in that hell hole of a prison, Felicity, and he was flogged, beaten and starved.” 

“He’s a killer.” 

“Felicity, his body count is lower than Oliver’s and Sara’s. He’s not in their league. Remember you told me that Oliver was going out to torture a man? a single father because he thought he had information he needed or have you forgotten that?”

“Barry, is he controlling you! is he blackmailing you!” Felicity said, not answering Barry, not wanting to be reminded of that.

“No, I just found that the man who saved this world, saved our future and helped the CCPD catch five serial killers was left to rot to death by a hired killer and serial killer, by the biggest load of hypercritics that I could ever have believed in. Great role models the three of us…. Right.” 

“What are you going to do, Barry?” 

“Well that rather depends on me.” The drawl was unmistakable.

Leonard Snart entered the Hub and, protectively at his side as always was Mick Rory. 

“Keep cool Overdrive, getting hot under the collar will not get you very far.” Len said with the signature smirk, “and we have things to discuss.” He stopped in front of Felicity. 

“Now I will let them go, but……. They stay out of Central City that and Team Flash are now mine.”

Felicity her head “This is insane, Barry. Sara and Oliver have done a lot of good and….

“Don’t care,” Len tilted his head to one side. “Those are my terms, and my team agrees.” 

It was only then that Felicity realized that Cisco had been quieter than normal, and Caitlin was pale faced. They hadn’t protested when Leonard Snart had called Team Flash his.

“I’ll speak to Oliver, may I see him now.” 

Len stepped to one side, “Oh and Overwatch, make sure that Sara understands that any thought she might have on trying to remove me and Mick, is a real bad idea as Gideon no longer recognizes her as a member of the Legends crew. Her flight privileges have been revoked” Then with a nod to Mick he turned on his heels and followed Felicity into the pipeline, with Mick shadowing him.

All through the exchange Joe West had done what Barry had asked him keep his peace until he had finished with Felicity. It had gone against every instinct, but for once he had trust Barry. 

He was seeing something in his foster son that he had never seen before or he had chosen to ignore. 

“Barry” he only got that far when…

“Joe , Oliver and Sara had no right to have imprisoned Len and Felicity knew about it. You know she gave me the whole runaround. I hope she only found out once I started to stir things up. But Joe, what we did was nothing compared to that Prison.” 

“But…….”

“But nothing Len was beaten, starved, flogged and sexually assaulted, Mick told me, Oliver created that prison and didn’t even bother to supervise it properly. That was the place we would have sent those people if Len hadn’t stopped us at Ferris Air.”

“Barry you can’t work with a criminal, the city……” 

“I am still protecting the city, and I am not going to commit any crime and Len is going to keep on helping me catch the serial killers that is what he meant by Team Flash working for him. If Len tries to pull any heists. I’ll be there to stop him the only difference is that I am not going to take him or Heatwave in. I am going to leave that to the CCPD,” At that moment he heard footsteps and turned to see Oliver, Sara and Felicity coming out of the pipeline with Len and Mick following behind them. Barry looked them up and down and allowed his disgust to show.

“I think it’s time you left Central City. If you come back without an invite, I am going to make sure that the CCPD gets to know you really well. I believe there are still warrants out on you both for murder. Cisco explain it to them.” 

Cisco cleared his throat, “Felicity, don’t even try to hack our system, Gideon, the AI from the Waverider had been working on an encryption and she will answer only to Barry. The encryption holds information on all Sara and Oliver’s kills down to the last woman and man. If you made a move on Barry and Team Flash, and “he coughed, “Snart and Rory,” it will upload all your files and real identity to the FBI, NSA and ARGUS, a very sophisticated dead man’s handle.”

As Oliver opened his mouth Barry cut across him, “and my files are with yours, I go down with you just because people see us as superheroes doesn’t mean we can do whatever we want. Now I think you should go.” 

Sara stood tall, “Snart is a serial killer, can’t you see that. On the Waverider he…”

 

Barry interrupted her “Snart helps catch serial killers, he’s not one, I asked Stein, Jax, Ray about what happened on the ship and none of them back your story Sara, even Gideon can’t do that. There’s no proof that he hijacked the ship and killed you all. But there is proof of the way you all neglected Mick, so just go and don’t come back.”

Barry watched them leave the Hub. He knew that life would never be the same again for them all. He would go to Team Arrow’s aid if they needed him and later he would make sure that Felicity knew that. Perhaps they could build up some sort of rapport again but time would tell.

It was then he heard Snart's purring drawl, Joes indigent reply and Rory's gruff laugh. He just knew this wasn't going to end well. With a shake of his head Barry turned to the newest members of Team Coldflash, as Len insisted on all it.

 

“No Joe you can’t shoot Len and Len you can’t,” he flashed over in time to stop Joe getting cold feet in more ways than one as he heard the cold gun whirl into life.

Life had just gotten interesting

The End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Would be Librarian and Guardian of the Dark. Leonard Snart and Mick Rory had two months before they made the life changing choice of becoming one with the library. But until then they had a life to live.   
> Len was laid on the couch, with his feet prop up on one arm, his head against a pillow on the other, turning the communicator over in his fingers, while Mick was working on his heat gun. The communicator that Judson had given him looked like something out of a steam punk novel.   
> Giving a shrug he pocketed it and pulled out an art magazine and began the first step of planning his next heist.  
> It was then the communicator began to bleep.


End file.
